


Little Bird

by Rina_san28



Series: Pride Month 2018 [7]
Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Discussion of Death, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, Foster Care, pride 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-09
Updated: 2018-06-09
Packaged: 2019-05-20 00:28:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14884149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rina_san28/pseuds/Rina_san28
Summary: When Cosette is stressed, she doodles. Today, she doodles on her wife.Written for Pride Month 2018 Day 8: Drawing on Skin





	Little Bird

**Author's Note:**

> I love them. That is all. 
> 
> (Please note: I know little about the foster care system. What I do know is from Google. Suspension of disbelief?)

Eponine stretched languidly on the sofa, tuning out the show she was only half-watching. She hadn’t had to work or go to rehearsal, it was raining, and she had found an unopened package of Oreos in the back of the cabinet. The only thing that could make such a day off better was-

 

_Slam!_

 

Right on cue, Cosette staggered in. Her blonde curls were mussed and damp as she shook out her umbrella, though it had clearly done her little good. Still, as she turned and bestowed a wide, stunning smile on Eponine, there was nothing prettier in the world.

 

Eponine reached out an arm. “Baaaabe,” she whined. “Come and cuddle with me.”

 

“In a minute,” Cosette said, a note of fondness in her voice. “I wanna change into sweats real quick.”

 

“I suppose I can allow that,” Eponine said. Cosette walked past her, running a hand through her loose, messy hair before ducking into their bedroom. The sound of slamming drawers could be heard through the open door, and after a moment, the blonde reemerged, tying her hair up into a knot on top of her head as she walked. “Hot.”

 

“I know, right?” Cosette said, flopping down on the sofa next to her. “Cover of Vogue next issue.” She reached across Eponine to open the side table drawer, pulling out a small pencil pouch, which she held up with a quirked eyebrow.

 

“That kinda day?”

 

“Oh my god, yes,” she groaned, settling back and tugging Eponine’s forearm into her lap. “I did two visits to foster families today, and I think I’m going to push for one of them to be reassigned. I don’t know who placed that kid, but they must’ve been out of their minds. Claire, the gal in the office two down, got an emergency call in the morning, called for help around lunch, and still wasn’t back by the time I left. Last time that happened, it was a death case, and I don’t know how many more of those she can take.”

 

“Didn’t she just have that one that was on the news?” Eponine asked, watching as her wife selected various markers from the pouch.

 

“Yup, and the one before that, too,” Cosette said. She settled on a trio of purples and began to sketch out a shape on Eponine’s arm. “I just worry.”

 

“You’d bring them all home, if you could,” Eponine said, gently pushing an escaped curl behind Cosette’s ear.

 

“I absolutely would!” she exclaimed. “There was a little girl I met the other day – oh, Poni, you would’ve loved her. Big green eyes, button nose, freckles…”

 

“I trust your judgement,” Eponine said with a smile. “What’d you think of her?”

 

“Sweet little thing,” Cosette said, finishing off the little bird she’d been drawing and diving back into the pencil pouch. “Quiet, but opened up like a flower if anyone mentioned dogs. She told anyone she could that she’d had a dog when she was little, but it ran away. Her mom’s not in the picture, and her dad died of an overdose. It was actually the one that Enjolras was ranting about the other day. That’s the only reason I knew.”

 

Eponine made a soft noise of sympathy, and Cosette pursed her lips as she started another little bird. “My parents got close to that a couple times, but I’d already jetted off with Gavroche by the time my mother finally kicked it. Did she understand what happened with her dad at all?”

 

Cosette shrugged. “I avoided the topic when I was talking with her. I remember hating it when my case worker brought up my mom, so I figured I’d play it safe. I doubt she does, though. She couldn’t be older than six.”

 

Eponine was quiet for a moment, considering. In the two years they’d been married, they’d discussed children, but always put it off. Things had been going well, though. Very well.

 

_Could this be a sign?_

“Hey, ‘Sette?” Eponine said after a moment. She waited until her wife hummed in acknowledgement, then continued. “Do y’think she’d fit? Y’know, with us?” Cosette froze, the tip of her marker still pressing into Eponine’s skin. Eponine plowed on. “We’ve talked about it for ages, we’ve gone through all the classes and done the training and everything. Two of our best friends are adoption lawyers. We could do this.”

 

Cosette stared at her, something close to hope dancing in her eyes. “Are you sure?”

 

“Let’s give it a go,” Eponine said simply, and was promptly tackled by a tearful, happy blonde.

 

\-----

 

After nearly a year of paperwork, processing, and endless waiting, Mariel Linette Fauchelevent left the courthouse, happily swinging between her moms as her huge group of uncles, aunts, and grandparents shot confetti in the air. Their little bird, Eponine thought fondly, glancing down at the tattoo decorating her forearm, had finally flitted home.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm rina-san28 on Tumblr!


End file.
